Searching For The Best Coffee Subscriptions
I don’t know about you, but I can’t start my mornings without a cup of Joe. Nothing is better than that fresh, nutty roast. It really is a simple joy. The caffeine energy boost isn’t too bad either, especially on a busy work day.
That being said, it takes some time to find your perfect blend. With a growing coffee industry, you’re probably wondering: What are the best coffee subscription brands? Well, we’re here to find out.
The Perks Of The Best Coffee Brands
If you’re new to coffee subscriptions, you might not know about all the benefits that go hand-in-hand with one. From convenience to value, the best brands provide a hassle-free experience for those groggy early risers.
Coffee subscriptions offer high-quality freshness and great value by delivering blends right to your door. When buying a bag of coffee in the grocery store, you have no idea how long it has already been sitting on the shelf. With a subscription, you can get beans that are made and brewed to order.
Plus, getting coffee delivered to your door is extremely convenient. Constantly being on-the-go could mean forgetting to purchase a bag for the next morning. You won’t have to pace the breakfast foods aisle every month, especially when time is a hot commodity.
Additionally, coffee subscriptions will leave more money in your pocket for the future, especially if you’ve become a regular at your local café. Making your own cup at home will certainly save all those trips and dollars.
Coffee beans are valuable goods in today’s market and making a decent brew has slowly become more important for young people. Evidently consumption of caffeine has gone up, along with the desire for a quality sip. That’s where these subscriptions come into play.
Things To Consider When Purchasing A Coffee Subscription
So, what should you keep in mind when choosing a coffee subscription? We’ve compiled a few different factors:
- Quality of beans
- Fair Trade certification
- Roast options
- Delivery frequency and flexibility
- Pricing and trials
- Whole vs ground beans
- Whether the company offers filter, decaf, or espresso blends
The best cup of coffee is brewed from high-quality beans. A good subscription will tell you where the beans come from, whether they’re a blend or single origin. Additionally, if it’s something you’re concerned about, it’d be important to know whether or not the beans are Fair Trade.
This ensures that the company is supporting the farmers and applying ethical and sustainable standards on both ends. By doing some research, this info is an indicator of the quality of the brand.
Next, finding out whether the coffee brand offers single or multiple roasts subscriptions. Basically, does the company offer their own blends or do they carry a variety of different ones?
This is all down to personal preference and whether or not you’d like to try different coffees every morning. In addition, if you’re someone who prefers to choose the blends you get and change delivery frequency, that’s something to look out for as well as if they ship to your country.
You’ll also want to look out for the pricing. Are you getting good value out of your subscription? Will it actually help you save money or will your coffee expenses remain in the same range?
If you’re not ready to commit to it yet because of financial reasons, it’d be essential to look out for free trials or if you can purchase a coffee bag outside of a subscription. That way, you’ll be able to find out if you like the brand and if it’s worth the money.
We think you should also look out for whether or not a company offers whole or ground beans. This can make or break your coffee’s flavor. Typically, whole beans are more flavorful than ground beans, as they might lose fragrance as the bag is opened.
You’ll want to know whether or not the brand offers filtered, espresso, or decaf blends. Decaf is easy to understand, but the difference between filter and espresso roasts may be a question for some people. Here’s a list detailing the differences between the two:
- Espresso Roast
- Roasted hotter and longer
- More soluble and easy to dissolve
- A bit more sweet and balanced
- Ideal for people who are into less acidic blends
- Filter Roast
- Roasted at a lower temperature for a short period
- You get more taste notes
- You get a sweeter coffee
- Can be made using a drip machine, or a french press
Again, based on personal preference, you’ll be able to personalize your subscription to your liking if these options are available. Ultimately, the best coffee subscription brands will meet your coffee needs and tastes.
10 Best Coffee Subscription Brands
Now, to the fun part. Let’s go over the 10 best coffee subscriptions out there so you can get an idea of the options you have for your morning brew.
1. The Roaster’s Pack
The Roaster’s Pack subscription service was founded in Canada in 2013. Suneal Pabari launched the startup to make coffee more “accessible but interesting.” Suneal also set out to find Canada’s best coffees and share them with others.
They offer a coffee of the month service, where you’ll receive 3 different coffees based on your chosen features. You can pick the type (light, medium, dark roast, espresso, or decaf), size, and subscription length.
Roaster’s Pack is one of the most popular coffee subscriptions among Canadians. They’ve been featured in Canadian media such as The Globe and Mail and blogTO.
As we said, a Roaster’s Pack subscription comes with 3 different single-origin coffees chosen by the company. The brand does not offer its own roast, but they collaborate with other Canadian roasters. Their beans are shipped out 1 to 7 days off the original roast date, which gets a few points for freshness.
Since they offer a variety of different roasts, there are many additional tasting notes and ingredients. So, it’s hard to figure out exactly which ingredients are used. Luckily, each subscription comes with info about your coffees, brewing guides, and surprise extras.
Here’s a list of the size options available:
- 12 oz (avg. 30 cups)
- 24 oz (avg. 60 cups)
- 36 oz (avg. 90 cups)
You can choose a subscription length, which ranges from one to 12 months. Additionally, you can select your grind, including coarse, medium, fine, extra-fine, and whole bean.
As a bonus, each bag is specially designed to include the main tasting notes and the original roasters’ logo. You can also buy bags separate from a subscription.
2. Chamberlain Coffee
Emma Chamberlain, a popular Youtuber, influencer, and entrepreneur, started Chamberlain Coffee at 18 years old in 2019. She sees coffee as a “way to connect” and “share moments” with her family and friends. Emma loves coffee so much, she wanted to “share it with the world” in a way that feels authentic to her.
Chamberlain Coffee offers 8 different coffee blends that range from light to dark roast, decaf, and espresso blends. They are all available for one-time purchases and subscriptions. The company also offers cute coffee tumblers, mugs, and other accessories.
Chamberlain Coffee generally gets good reviews, but some reviewers had issues with the shipping process. Regardless, because of Emma’s large following, the brand gets a lot of traction.
The blends that Chamberlain Coffee offers come from Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and Sumatra. They’re also vegan, organic, and Fair Trade and they’re multiple origin blends.
Each coffee bag has tasting notes, the countries of origin, and the caffeine strength. When purchasing your subscription, you can choose between ground or whole bean blend.
Each bag also has the most adorable cartoon designs that correlate with the roast names. The branding is colorful and playful, making Chamberlain coffee a hit among gen-z and younger millennials. It’s definitely one of the hippest companies in this best coffee subscription brands list.
Emma’s favorite coffee is the Fancy Mouse Espresso Blend for that morning kick. Additionally, as we said, you can make a one-time purchase for any of the Chamberlain Coffees if you aren’t ready to commit to a subscription.
3. Crema.co
Crema.co launched in 2015 by a UX designer, George Brooks. The company has a firm belief that “coffee is a community, not a commodity.” The company’s mission is to “empower farmers, roasters, and coffee drinkers to truly live well.”
The company offers roasts from 57 independent roasters all over the US, and they’re always roasted to order. As a result, they boast that they’re one of the top coffee subscriptions in the United States. When picking the blends you want for your subscription, you have the choice of whole bean and coarse, medium, and fine ground coffee.
The roasts’ levels range from light to dark, and some of them are mixed. Their bag sizes range from 10-12oz to 5lb bags, so you know you’re getting a hefty supply of your chosen brew. Their blends are fair trade, and their coffees come from roasters who use ethical practices in their supply chain.
Additionally, you can purchase their coffees without a subscription. If you do opt for one, you can choose monthly, 5-day, or 2-week delivery frequency. For more personalization, Crema.co offers a coffee quiz so you can get blends based on your personal preferences.
4. Blue Bottle
The following company in this best coffee subscription brands list is Blue Bottle. Blue Bottle was founded in 2002 by James Freeman. He became tired of commercial coffees and decided to launch the company for “people who were clamoring for the actual taste of fresh coffee.”
So, Blue Bottle was born, inspired by one of Europe’s first cafés, The Blue Bottle Coffee House. Evidently, Blue Bottle offers coffee subscriptions and brewing tools, mugs, and other accessories.
They are well-received on third-party rating sites, and they’ve opened up several physical locations across the globe. They’re considered one of the top players in the “third-wave coffee” movement, which is regarded as artisanal.
Related: Read our Blue Bottle Coffee Review to learn more.
In terms of Blue Bottle’s coffee subscription, you can customize your plan easily depending on how much coffee you need and how often. You can also choose between different programs. This includes “Origins, Blend, and Espresso.” With Origins, you get a new single-origin coffee in every package. They range from medium to light-roasted.
The Blend subscription rotates Blue Bottle’s signature blends. This plan is specifically designed for veteran coffee drinkers who enjoy “balanced and bold flavors.” The Espresso plan rotates the Blue Bottle espresso blends, ideal for “people who love darker, roasty coffees.”
Blue Bottle offers US residents 6oz, 12oz, 24oz, and 36oz bags. For international customers, they offer 6 and 12oz bags of whole-bean coffee. Additionally, they buy some coffees from Fair Trade certified companies, but not all of them are certified.
Frequency options include every other week and every 4 weeks. As a bonus, you can sign up for a $5 trial if you’re unsure about committing to the roaster.
5. Angel’s Cup
Angel’s Cup has one mission: “To help you develop a sharper sense of taste.” Jeff Borack is a co-founder of the company, which launched in 2014. They want to take customers on a “tasting flight” with their blind bags, so you can form your opinion of the coffee without knowing the origin or the roasters.
Angel’s Cup offers their surprise subscription plans and gift options for said subscription. In addition, they sample a high number of coffees every year, and they receive coffees from a variety of different roasters. Reviews for this company are primarily positive, and people tend to enjoy the blind-tasting experience.
To get your subscription started, you choose your desired roast, grind, and delivery frequency. Roasts range from light to dark, while grind selection includes whole bean, coarse, and fine grind. For delivery frequency, you can choose weekly, 2-week, 3-week, or 4-week plans. Plus, you can also select your billing frequency.
You’re also able to choose product options. For example, Angel’s Cup offers Cupping Flight, Black Box, and All Stars. Each plan delivers different amounts of coffee. Here are the sizes available:
- Cupping Flight: Four 1oz Samples (about 16oz of coffee)
- The Black Box: Four 2.75oz samples (about 44oz of coffee)
- All Stars: 12oz bag
As a bonus, Angel’s Cup takes freshness seriously. So, they never ship out coffee that’s more than a few days old. With this subscription, you can learn how to pick out tasting notes without the bias of knowing the origin of the coffee.
6. Atlas Coffee Club
Atlas Coffee Club is another subscription service in this best coffee subscription brand list that offers exotic, high-end coffees from around the world. It was founded in 2015 by Michael Shewmake and Jon Miller.
The co-founders created the company to “tell the story of coffee from around the world.” They also aim to please the traveler in you through exploring the world’s coffee.
These coffee addicts offer the “top 1% of the world’s coffee,” offering single-origin and hand-picked coffee. With a subscription, you go through a “journey” with a new coffee chosen by Atlas.
Besides the curated coffee, you also get a postcard from a new country and tasting notes and brewing tips for your bag of beans.
Related: Read our full Atlas Coffee Club Review for more information.
In terms of public opinion, Atlas is another one of the best coffee subscriptions, on par with Blue Bottle. Reception is mainly positive, with a writer on Insider calling it the best coffee they’ve ever tried.
When customizing your plan, you can choose the number of bags you receive, your frequency, roast type, and grind. For sizes, you can get a double pack (24oz), a single bag (12oz), or a half bag (6oz). They also have two frequency options: every 2 weeks and every 4 weeks.
For roast preferences, you can choose light to medium, medium to dark, or opt for all roast types to really get a taste of global coffees. Additionally, you can choose between whole bean and ground coffee. Unfortunately, there’s no specification as to how finely ground the coffee is.
7. Equator Coffee Roasters
For more fair trade and organic coffees, Equator Coffee Roasters is another excellent choice. The Canadian company was founded in 1998 by Craig and Amber Hall with “the goal of making a difference globally and locally.”
This is accomplished by “equating” the benefits of a coffee experience for every person involved, including the consumer, employees, and the farmers. Equator Coffee Roasters offers their coffee subscription and brewing tools and accessories, merch, sweet treats, and teas.
Their coffee selection includes single origin, blends, espresso, decaf, and green coffee beans. Since the company has been around for about 20 years now, many people enjoy their roasts, and reviews are mainly positive.
When signing up for a subscription, you can choose which blends you’d like to receive. Each option comes with a description of roast and origin. There are 6 different blends to choose from, or you can select Equator’s Seasonal Blend or their Single Origin blend of the Month. Once you choose your mix, they offer a 12oz or 5lb bag of coffee.
You can also choose your grind. They offer whole beans or regular ground. Depending on your coffee needs, you can choose between 2-week, 4-week, and 6-week frequencies. If you’re not too keen on subscribing, you’re able to purchase their coffee without any commitments.
8. Bean Box
Artisan coffees are definitely getting more popular, as evidenced by the previous companies in this best coffee subscription brands list. Bean Box is another coffee company that curates coffee from roasters all over the United States. It was founded in 2012 by Ryan Fritzky and Matthew Berk, who are “on a mission to bring joy to your mornings.”
Bean Box also believes that coffee is an experience, and their services “invite the world’s best coffee into your kitchen.” Every coffee they offer is selected by experienced in-house curators, and coffees come from independent roasters.
They offer subscriptions, coffee, and cold brew coffees as well. They also have gift bundles if you have any other coffee lovers at home. The company is well-loved and popular among java junkies.
Related: Read our Bean Box Coffee Review for a full analysis.
When starting your subscription with Bean Box, you can choose between whole bean and freshly ground coffee. You can also select a roast preference. They offer light to dark roast, as well as espresso and decaf blends.
After that, all you have to do is choose a plan. You can either pick the Coffee Tasting Subscription, which provides you with 4 curated coffees every month along with Bean Box’s tasting format. With this plan, you get about 4-6 cups out of each coffee.
The second plan is the Coffee Bag subscription, which allows you to change your delivery frequency. You can get a 12oz bag and can choose between monthly, bi-weekly, and weekly shipments. For a no-strings-attached deal, you can purchase their coffee once just to try it out!
9. MistoBox
We’re nearing the end of this best coffee subscriptions brand list. But, we’re saving some of the best for last! MistoBox is another popular subscription service that was founded in 2012. Co-founders Connor Riley and Samantha Meis got their start on Shark Tank. They received two offers from Kevin O’Leary and Mark Cuban.
Their aim is to make it easier for their customers to “discover and brew the world’s best coffee at home.” They offer a wide selection of coffees from over 50 different roasters and coffee brewing equipment. As we said, it’s pretty popular and is featured in many other top coffee subscriptions lists online.
To get started, MistoBox asks for your personal preferences: How do you take your coffee? Which grind would you prefer? What’s your desired roast level?
They offer whole bean and ground, and roasts range from light to dark roast. You can also choose your coffee type, which includes single-origin, a blend, or espresso. Plus, you can disclose whether or not you prefer decaf.
Customization also extends to delivery frequency. You can choose between weekly, 2-week, 3-week, or 4-week plans. In addition, you have the option to choose from two tiers: basic or deluxe. This is the deciding factor for the price. In terms of billing, you can choose to pay per coffee or opt for a 6 coffee or 12 coffee plan.
10. Trade Coffee
The last of the best coffee subscription brands is Trade Coffee. It’s one of the newest companies on this list, having launched in 2018 with Mike Lackman at the helm. They believe that “every cup you make should be your best ever.” So they work to turn regular coffee drinkers into enamored coffee lovers.
Over 100k customers enjoy Trade Coffee, and they’ve been featured in major media like CNN, Vogue, and GQ. They sell over 400 different coffees from 55 independent roasters across the United States. Like some other brands in this list, Trade Coffee can match you up with their roasts based on your tastes.
Related: View our full Trade Coffee Review to learn more.
And that’s how the subscription starts. You begin with the quiz, which asks about your coffee preferences. You can choose roast type, whole bean or ground, and regular or decaf coffee. You can also pick your delivery frequency, ranging from every week to every 6 weeks. They only offer 12oz bags, but you can choose to receive one or two each cycle.
There are two different subscription types: The Hookup and The Classics. The Hookup is designed for adventurous types who are okay with trying a range of different coffees based on your preferences. The Classics offer traditional brews that are “easy-to-love.” This box also comes with free shipping.
Plus, every first order comes with a First Match Guarantee. So if you don’t like your first bag of beans, the next one you receive is on the house.
What Are The Benefits Of A Coffee Subscription?
So, how will getting a coffee subscription benefit you? First and foremost, you’ll be saving a lot of money depending on your billing and subscription plan. On average, Millenials spend about $2000 a year buying from cafés every day.
With a subscription, you can easily make coffee at home without worrying about getting one from a store every day. Basically, you can set your dates, pick your preferences, and have a guaranteed quality coffee from the best coffee subscription brands. You’ll also get consistent quality because you’ll be making it yourself.
You also can try a wide variety of coffees from around the world, if you choose to. Buying commercial brands kind of limits your palate, so subscribing to a coffee company or roaster like Angel’s Cup can expand your horizons.
The most obvious perk is that you get the coffee delivered right to you. You can get your bag of beans every week or every month if you prefer, but you’ll always have a continuous supply with a subscription. So, you won’t have to go anywhere to get your caffeine fix.
How Do I Pick The Best Coffee Subscription?
Picking the best coffee subscription brands for you or your loved ones can be an intimidating task. But, as we said earlier, it’ll come down to different factors, including price, variety, options available, and customization.
At the end of the day, coffee costs a significant amount of money, especially if you’re an avid consumer. The best coffee subscription will have great value and be within your price range. If you’re not getting your desired amount of coffee for a higher-end price, it won’t satisfy you or your taste buds.
Variety is also essential when choosing a coffee subscription. For example, how many blends does the company offer? Do they come from different roasters? Are there other taste notes? It’s important to consider these questions, so you know if you’re getting the proper coffee for you.
Lastly, the best coffee subscription for you allows for customization. If you’re someone who has a cup a day and often runs out after a couple weeks, you’ll want to be able to adjust your frequency. Plus, if you’re tired of the blends you’re receiving, choosing different coffees is a huge bonus.
What Is Fair Trade Coffee?
Fair Trade is important while selecting the best coffee subscriptions brands because many farmers in these coffee-growing areas don’t receive fair prices for their harvest.
Products that fall under Fair Trade certification essentially signal that all workers and farming families were treated ethically. These farmers work directly with roasters and buyers for a fair wage. This allows their family to receive proper education and health care.
Fair Trade organizations are obliged to disclose how they invest their revenue and must make all decisions democratically. Fair Trade is important while selecting the best coffee subscriptions brands because many farmers in these coffee-growing areas don’t receive fair prices for their harvest.
These communities are devastated by debt. Without Fair Trade, they cannot invest in cultivating their lands or their communities, so they move elsewhere, resulting in more deforestation.
This profoundly affects the next generation in farming families, as they won’t earn a sustainable living or support communities that need it. Additionally, Fair Trade isn’t just ethically responsible, but it’s environmentally responsible as it helps farmers create sustainable land. The best coffee subscriptions brands usually partner with fair and direct trade companies.
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